The study (N = 92) piloted an inclusive programme taking advantage of linguistic diversity in regular primary classrooms in Geneva (Switzerland) to reinforce classroom social climate. The same three-stages programme (activities for opening to others, activities for opening to linguistic diversity, and multilingual cooperative activities) was…

Student engagement in math and science courses decreases starting in middle school and continues throughout high school (Museus, et al., 2011). This lack of engagement results in students taking only the required math and science coursework and not advanced coursework that would help prepare them for future careers in science, technology,…

Music education in the United States aims to be for every child, yet many students become less interested in school music as they mature. Although previous research reveals activities that upper-elementary students may prefer, much of this research may not represent 21st-century students, the instruments and activities that have enhanced curricula…

What if you could challenge your fourth graders to create a minimally invasive, highly efficient dam? With this volume in the "STEM Road Map Curriculum Series," you can! "Hydropower Efficiency" outlines a journey that will steer your students toward authentic problem solving while grounding them in integrated STEM disciplines.…

Parents play a vital role in influencing their children's outdoor recreation participation. Families can enjoy nature and stay active in state parks, which provide abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation and education. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parents' experiences with, and attitudes toward, outdoor…

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, students returned to the classroom facing heightened challenges. Students lacked motivation, struggled with increased mental health issues, and required social emotional learning. As teachers worked extensively to close deep academic deficits, they dealt with barriers such as increased behaviors that caused…

The elementary music program is often most likely to include all students in the United States. As such, teachers have an opportunity to encourage lifelong musicianship and musical engagement. Researchers have reported, however, that children's interest in school music activities declines over the elementary years, and general music teachers…

There has been much discussion about the high performance of East Asian students in international high stakes testing, but little attention has been paid to their lifeworlds beyond school. In this article we explore findings from a survey of 627 Year 4 children (nine and ten years old) in three global cities (Hong Kong, Singapore, and Melbourne),…

Background: Despite the positive impact of social and emotional learning (SEL) on the emotional well-being of children, literature on physical activity engagement and SEL among this population has been limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether school students' SEL would improve after participation in a before-school…

Previous research suggests connections between peer relationships and children's engagement and learning within the classroom. However few studies have explored these connections in detail or considered the possible processes that may begin to explain the linkages. This study collected systematic data from different respondents within primary…

Elementary-aged students likely participate in an in-school Community of Musical Practice (CoMP) in addition to CoMPs outside of school. Therefore, knowing a student's entire Landscape of Musical Practice (LoMP) can help music teachers align in-school music practices with those outside of school to support students' developing musical identities.…

Design and content of classroom activities are crucial to foreign/second (L2) language learners' motivation, be they children or adults. Lifeworld relevance and learner autonomy are two important aspects in building motivational L2 curricula for adults (e.g.), but such considerations rarely filter through to primary school learners due to…

Science textbooks play an important role in making scientific knowledge and applications available to learners. In most countries, science curriculum expects to cultivate scientifically literate individuals who are able to use science process skills. Critical analysis of textbooks is therefore crucial to determine whether they can facilitate this…

Research has consistently highlighted the importance of promoting child-parent interactions. In this essay, we describe the development of MAKEngineering kits that provide collaborative learning experiences for children in Grades 2-6 to engage in engineering design tasks with members of their families in their home environment. First, we present…

Background/Purpose: Before school exercise programs (BSEPs) give students time for breakfast and add time to their daily physical activity. However, the effects of BSEP on physical fitness and academic achievement in the classroom remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of BSEP on cardiorespiratory fitness and academic…